Chris Brown Pleads Not Guilty to Two Felony Charges

Chris Brown has pleaded not guilty to felony charges stemming from a domestic incident involving his then-girlfriend Rihanna. The singer, 19, was arraigned Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Brown pleaded not guilty to one count of assault and one of making criminal threats. Rihanna was not present at the hearing.

If convicted, Brown could face a sentence of up to four years and eight months in prison, CNN reports. His lawyers have also been in "serious" plea-bargain negotiations with prosecutors and are "close" to a deal, according to TMZ.

Rihanna's lawyer, Donald Etra, told TVGuide.com that there are no updates regarding the deal, but confirmed that Rihanna would be willing to testify if the case goes to trial.

Neither lawyers nor reps for Brown were immediately available for comment. Brown's next scheduled court appearance is a status hearing, set for April 29.